Why I choose organic skincare

Thursday, 15th September 2016

By Ella Mills, Best-Selling Author and Food Blogger

As I became more conscious about what I was putting into my body, I started thinking more about what I was using on my skin. If my recipes contained only natural ingredients, then why shouldn’t my skincare?

I started to use organic alternatives, including some bits from Neal’s Yard Remedies. Most people don’t realise that some of what we put on our skin can be absorbed, so choosing products that are of a high organic standard was a no-brainer for me.

It can be a bit daunting when you start to investigate a new skincare routine – there are so many products on the market that claim to be natural and organic, so how do you know what to choose?

Here are some of my tips to help you if you’re feeling as confused as I was!

Read the label

It’s important to look at the ingredients of your skincare, just as you would with food. Choose products that contain an abundance of natural, organic and wild grown ingredients. If you come across an ingredient that’s hard to pronounce, it’s probably best to avoid it! This link on the Neal’s Yard Remedies website will help you understand what to look out for.http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/about-us-pages/our-products/whats-in-our-products.html

Look for Certification

I was so surprised to learn that there’s no regulation around what can be labelled organic when it comes to skincare. Did you know a product can be labelled ‘organic’ even if it contains only 1% of certified organic ingredients? Pretty crazy! That’s why it’s so important to look for certification from an independent body like the Soil Association. That logo on a product means they’ve done all the hard work for you – looking at the ingredient list, making sure the product is non-GMO so you know what you are buying really is organic.

Become a Kitchen Beautician

If you really want to know what’s in your beauty products, you can make them yourself! There are so many products that you can create at home in your kitchen using things like coconut oil and avocado. I love exfoliating, so my favourite DIY is making a scrub from coconut oil and brown sugar – the sugar granules gently remove any dead skin, while the coconut oil nourishes and moisturises. Plus, making your own products is a lot of fun.

Beauty from the inside, out

Don’t just rely on your skincare products to give you a gorgeous glow. When you’re feeding your body with the best ingredients nature has to offer, you’re also feeding your skin. This doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your whole diet, you can start by adding an extra portion of fruit or vegetables to every meal. It may sound insignificant but it really adds up – over the week you’ll eat an extra 21 portions of goodness, which is great. It will do wonders for your body, from increased energy levels to brighter, clearer skin. After all, when you’re feeling great, you look great too.

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When Planet Organic opened its doors in 1995, it was Renée Elliott's dream to offer the best and widest range of organic foods available, and her mission to promote health in the community and to bring a sense of discovery and adventure into food shopping.